DataEase is an open-source business intelligence tool designed to make data visualization and analysis accessible to users without technical expertise. Built with a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, it allows teams to connect to diverse data sources, build interactive dashboards, and share insights securely — all without writing code. Targeted at business analysts, data teams, and decision-makers, DataEase bridges the gap between raw data and actionable insights by combining intuitive UI with enterprise-grade features like AI-assisted querying via SQLBot and multi-platform deployment options.
It emerged as a viable alternative to proprietary tools like Tableau, offering full source code access under the GPLv3 license and regular monthly updates. With support for OLTP, OLAP, data lakes, APIs, and file-based sources, DataEase is ideal for organizations seeking a cost-effective, self-hosted BI solution that scales from small teams to enterprise deployments.
What You Get
- Drag-and-drop dashboard builder - Create interactive visualizations using a point-and-click interface without writing SQL or code; supports charts, tables, filters, and drill-downs.
- 20+ data source connectors - Connect directly to MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, MongoDB-BI, ClickHouse, Apache Doris, StarRocks, Amazon Redshift, Excel, CSV, and APIs.
- AI-powered query assistant (SQLBot) - Integrate with SQLBot to ask natural language questions like ‘Show sales by region last quarter’ and get generated SQL queries and visualizations.
- Multi-platform deployment - Install via one-line Linux script, Docker, 1Panel application store, or use the desktop version for local analysis.
- Secure sharing and permissions - Share dashboards via links or embed them in other applications with role-based access control to protect sensitive data.
- Template center and reusable components - Save and reuse dashboard templates across teams to standardize reporting and reduce duplication of effort.
Common Use Cases
- Building a sales performance dashboard for regional managers - A marketing team connects to MySQL and Excel files containing CRM data, creates KPIs like monthly revenue and conversion rates, and shares read-only dashboards with regional leads via secure links.
- Creating a real-time inventory monitor for e-commerce - A logistics team connects to Apache Doris and API endpoints from warehouse systems, visualizes stock levels across 50+ SKUs in real time, and sets up alerts for low inventory.
- Problem: Business users can’t access data without IT help → Solution: DataEase empowers non-technical staff to build their own reports - Marketing analysts independently pull data from Google Analytics and Facebook Ads API, design custom dashboards, and schedule daily email reports without waiting for engineering resources.
- Team: DevOps managing analytics across hybrid cloud environments - A company uses DataEase to unify data from on-prem MySQL, AWS Redshift, and cloud-based APIs into a single dashboard, reducing tool sprawl and standardizing KPI reporting across departments.
Under The Hood
DataEase is a data visualization and business intelligence platform designed for enterprise-level analytics and reporting, featuring a monolithic web architecture with a Java backend and Vue.js frontend. It emphasizes modular UI design, extensible charting capabilities, and flexible dashboard creation to support diverse data exploration needs.
Architecture
DataEase follows a layered architecture with clear separation between frontend and backend components, enabling organized development and maintainable code.
- The system adopts a layered structure that separates UI, API, and data processing modules for better manageability
- Frontend is organized into modular components and pages with distinct configuration and environment handling
- Component composition and strategy-based rendering are used in charting modules for flexible visualization
- A centralized state management system (Pinia) and API-driven data flow support dynamic dashboard creation
Tech Stack
DataEase leverages modern web technologies with a strong emphasis on Vue.js and Java-based backend systems.
- Built using Java for the backend and Vue 3 for the frontend, incorporating up-to-date JavaScript patterns
- Relies on Vue ecosystem tools such as Pinia, Vue Router, and Element Plus for UI and state management
- Vite serves as the primary build tool with TypeScript support and extensive configuration options
- Includes linting and formatting tools like ESLint, Stylelint, and Prettier to enforce code quality standards
Code Quality
The project demonstrates a mixed level of code quality with strengths in component organization but gaps in testing and error handling.
- Code structure shows some modularization and consistent component design, though not uniformly applied across all modules
- Extensive use of TypeScript improves type safety and code clarity in the frontend
- Linting and formatting tools are configured to maintain code consistency and reduce errors
- Limited test coverage and inconsistent error handling patterns are notable weaknesses in the codebase
What Makes It Unique
DataEase stands out through its extensible visualization engine and modular dashboard system tailored for enterprise use.
- A reusable and customizable charting engine supports a wide range of visualization requirements with plugin architecture
- Dynamic configuration and UI component system enable flexible dashboard creation across platforms
- Deep integration with TinyMCE and custom editors allows rich text and embedded chart interactions
- Shared configuration patterns across desktop and mobile environments provide unified dashboard experiences